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It is summed up by Mike Tyson’s phone call to his former opponent after his wife’s death

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Mike Tyson defeated Peter McNeeley in his comeback fight (Photo: Getty Images)

Mike Tyson’s intimidating personality may still be getting ahead of him, but a former opponent has shared a heartwarming story about the boxing legend’s compassionate side.

Peter “The Hurricane” McNeeley, who faced Tyson in the ring in 1995, spoke warmly about how the former heavyweight champion provided emotional support during a particularly tough time in his life.

In an exclusive interview ahead of his upcoming fight with Jake Paul, McNeeley revealed Reflect American sports how Tyson was a pillar of strength following the sudden death of his wife Annarta in June 2023. Despite his turbulent past in the ring, Tyson expressed his condolences and support.

Mike Tyson

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 23: Mike Tyson attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Starting 5” on September 23, 2024 at the Egyptian Hollywood Theater in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) (Photo: Getty Images)

McNeeley’s wife, Annarita, tragically passed away at her home on June 14, 2023 at the age of 53, leaving her 56-year-old husband in a tough situation. But Tyson’s thoughtful gesture helped lift his spirits during shadowy times.

“It was tough when my wife died. It’s still tough to talk about it,” McNeeley admitted. “And she didn’t die for two days and Mike Tyson called me. Now, because he’s a West Coast guy now, when he called me, I didn’t understand because my phone was turned off and I was already in bed and sleeping on the East Coast.”

“But the next day I saw missed calls and didn’t recognize the number he was calling from. Then he texted me to send his condolences and I called him right away. He answered and said, “What’s going on, brother… I’m so sorry for your loss.

Choking up as he said this, McNeeley remarked, “Such class and respect from a two-time champion. It just meant a lot to me.”

McNeeley said he preferred to keep details of their candid conversation private out of respect for their bond, but revealed: “People don’t know this side of Mike Tyson. He does a lot of work for good causes. he looks after his friends. He is very steadfast.”

Peter McNeeley unfortunately lost his wife

Peter McNeeley unfortunately lost his wife (Photo: McNeeley)

He continued to talk about their relationship, saying, “It’s nice to have a friend like Mike. The fact that we don’t talk to each other for a few years doesn’t make any difference. He became like a brother. Mike is not a bad person. Grief is a process. Mike understands what it’s like to grieve the loss of his 8-year-old daughter. This puts the man to a mental test.

Discussing how he is coping with the loss of his wife today, McNeeley said: “I don’t want to say anything about her death other than I loved her very much. And you know what life is like. And she would probably think so. At least that’s what I like to think.”

The famed clash in which Tyson mercilessly defeated McNeeley in less than ninety seconds during his eagerly anticipated comeback fight in 1995 was recalled – it marked Tyson’s return to the professional ring after a three-year prison sentence for rape. McNeeley was completely stunned by Tyson’s agility and precision, resulting in a match that drew the largest pay-per-view television audience at the time.

McNeeley’s brush with fame didn’t end in the ring; his likable personality led to television commercials and speaking engagements. However, he always regretted not thanking Tyson in person until a twist of fate in September 2008 provided him with a chance meeting through his former limo driver, Dave.

Recounting the story, McNeeley said, “This time Mike was in Boston and by accident he was being driven by my ancient limo driver, Dave. Dave called me and said, “Pete, you’ll never believe this, I’m managing Mike Tyson? Should I say something about you? McNeeley, wanting a rematch, told Dave: “I said, ‘Hell yes… you can assist me get a rematch.’ I just got the news Mike was thinking of! was fun and said Mike would like to have dinner sometime if you have time. Some time passed and Dave came and said Mike wanted to take me out to dinner.

Time passed and then Dave informed McNeeley that Tyson wanted to have dinner with him. “I came home and Tyson came on my voicemail on my landline asking if I wanted to call. “The next thing I knew, the limo driver was banging on my door saying Tyson was in his hotel room in Cambridge with his second wife and their kids.”

The meeting was cordial, McNeeley recalled: “Mike shook my hand, hugged me, and talked to me for about 15 minutes. I’m still grateful that I got to spend that time with him because there was so much more going on in his life than meeting Me.”

He appreciated the personal interaction away from the media frenzy that usually surrounds Tyson, noting, “It was nice to be with him without TV, cameras, a press conference or fights. These things come out of proportion around these fights and Mike. People are just people. Everyone puts on their pants the same way.

“He seemed to me a nice, down-to-earth and humble guy. It was something special. I didn’t hear the news until nine years later, in 2007, when someone gave me my landline number, called me, and we ended the conversation. talk for several months.”

Tyson called McNeeley to comfort him

Tyson called McNeeley to comfort him (Photo: McNeeley)

“We called each other and every time he kept asking, ‘Peter, how is your father?’ This is respect. He knew that my dad fought Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres who were two of his mentors Cus D” Amato fighters and of course Mike knows his boxing history.

“It’s nice to talk to him on a normal level. I’m not one of his best friends, but it was great to have the connection we had. Mike talked about me publicly and always said nice things about me. he’s a great guy – I love him, I’m glad he’s doing so well, and when Mike does well and our names are linked from there.”

McNeeley predicts Tyson will triumph in his last fight. The fight with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul will be broadcast on Netflix from ATandT Stadium in Arlington, Texas on November 15.

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UK Boxing

Anthony Joshua boasts a £150 million property empire, including a gigantic mansion and £750,000 worth of impulse purchases

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Anthony Joshua boasts an extremely impressive real estate empire and has invested many millions in his lucrative career away from boxing.

Since turning professional in 2013, the 35-year-old has made a huge personal fortune and has chosen to spend it wisely. He has invested a lot of money in real estate through his company 258 Investments, which manages his real estate empire.

Joshua is not afraid to dare to build his portfolio, including: Sun says it has spent around £150 million on property over the last two years.

Express Sport takes a look at some of his most impressive purchases, starting with his gigantic estate in Hertfordshire…

Former oil headquarters

The most steep property Joshua has ever bought is a 301,000 square foot property near Watford, where he grew up. According to reports, the building was previously used as the headquarters of oil giant BP and its acquisition cost the boxer approximately £30 million Sun.

The development has over 1,300 parking spaces and is home to several enormous businesses, but Joshua has not yet revealed what he plans to do with it.

Luxury address in London

Last year, Joshua spent a huge sum of money buying a property on one of London’s most exclusive streets. It is said to have paid around £25 million to purchase the mixed-use block on Bond Street, which includes hotel, retail, office and medical facilities.

Situated in the heart of Mayfair, the property offers basic access to the city’s trendiest restaurants and shops. It was previously owned by Aviva, but is now in the hands of Joshua and his investment company.

Upscale Mayfair gastropub

At the same time, Joshua bought Bonds Mayfair gastropub, acquiring 12-16 Derring Street, which is valued at around £20 million.

The 6,300 sq ft building also houses office space and has excellent transport links, with Bond Street Tube Station just 100 meters away. This was another wise investment that gave Joshua great opportunities in the upscale part of the capital.

£750,000 impulse purchase

Joshua has purchased another commercial premises in north London, near Alexandra Palace, in 2022. It is not known exactly how much he paid for the property, which is estimated to be worth £750,000, but his company suggested it was a lucrative impulse purchase.

Announcing the deal, 258 Investments shared a photo of Origin Massage Therapy on Instagram with the caption: “A friend and I met for coffee to discuss our real estate requirements and ended up securing a lease for the space where we sat down.”

Two steep family homes

According to him, Joshua also owns two enormous family homes in north London worth a total of £4 million Sun. He has close ties to the region, having bought his mother’s council flat in Golders Green in 2017.

Additionally, the 35-year-old honed his skills at nearby Finchley Boxing Club when he was younger, and his investment in the area came as no surprise given his close ties.

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UK Boxing

Tyson Fury was accused of ‘cyberbullying’ on Christmas Day but left one rival alone

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This could be a arduous Christmas for Tyson Fury. The self-proclaimed “Gypsy King” returned home from Saudi Arabia following a crushing rematch loss to Oleksandr Usyk, seemingly dashing any hopes he had of unifying the heavyweight division one day.

At 36, Fury’s future is in doubt and the holiday season could be a time of contemplation as promoters clamor for a long-awaited fight between him and Anthony Joshua, albeit with no belts on the line.

Regardless, Fury has undoubtedly lost his status as the No. 1 heavyweight of his generation. And it’s a far cry from Christmas two years ago, when his dominance in the league was so perceived that in one Christmas joke he was even accused of bullying his rivals.

Just three weeks after defeating Derek Chisora ​​in London to retain his WBC title, he posted a photo on Instagram of himself standing with other boxers including David Haye, Joshua, Wladimir Klitschko, Dillian Whyte and Deontay Wilder. But this was not an ordinary image of world-famous fighters.

Fury stood under the Christmas tree surrounded by five children. However, the youngsters’ faces were photoshopped using a boxing quartet instead, and Whyte was particularly mocked when his head was placed on an apparently diminutive child, who Fury was holding in his arms.

Just eight months earlier, Fury had demolished his British rival at Wembley Stadium, stopping him in the sixth round of a one-sided fight. The Christmas card sparked mixed reactions from fans, with the Morecambe man widely accused of “cyberbullying” and hypocrisy after previously defending himself as a supporter of mental health awareness.

Some also questioned why the photo included Haye and Joshua, whom Fury has not fought in his career. But most importantly, there was no room in the photo for the man who had inflicted Fury’s only professional defeats since then.

By December 2022, Usyk held three heavyweight belts, securing consecutive victories over Joshua. Fury, however, regularly downplayed the prospect of the Ukrainian potentially unifying the division, scathingly criticized his apparent lack of size and often called him “cruiser weight.”

It’s unlikely we’ll see such a cheerful festive gesture from Fury this time around. He has been inactive on social media since the unanimous points defeat in Riyad, although he complained about the referees’ decision at the post-match press conference.

His celebrated Christmas Instagram post may yet backfire if he faces “AJ” in 2025 and is defeated. This would mean he was facing retirement as he had only actually beaten two of the five boxers he considered “daddy”.

As for Usyk, a man who is essentially impossible to intimidate, he is unlikely to be cowed by any social media taunts after he humorously responded to claims by Fury and Frank Warren that he received “Christmas gift”. “Uncle Frank, I think he’s blind,” he replied, chuckling.

“If Tyson says it’s a Christmas present, then OK, thank God, not Tyson. Thank you to my team.”

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UK Boxing

Jake Paul is making his feelings clear about fighting Conor McGregor instead of his brother Logan

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Social media is abuzz with rumors about a potential blockbuster fight between Jake Paul and Conor McGregor, following a mysterious “Shhh” message from Paul.

Speculation has intensified following Paul’s recent victory over boxing legend Mike Tyson, and now he appears poised for another high-profile fight, this time potentially against the MMA superstar.

McGregor previously claimed he was negotiating a match with Jake’s brother Logan Paul, revealing on social media: “Rumors of a fight with [Ilia] Topurias are false. I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul at a boxing event in India. I agreed. Then I will strive to return to the octagon.”

However, it looks like Jake has passed Logan as the likely contender.

ESPN reports suggest that Jake Paul’s fight with McGregor may take place sometime between July and September 2025.

Meanwhile, Logan Paul is preparing to step into the WWE spotlight next year by working with Netflix, with an appearance scheduled for Monday Night Raw on January 6.

While there has been no official word from Jake Paul on the prospect of fighting McGregor, his suggestive “Shhh” response to the rumors circulating sent fans into a frenzy, with one excitedly replying: “You’re fighting Conor McGregor, let’s go!” while another asked: “When [are] are you officially announcing the McGregor fight?”

Fans encouraged the fight, with one urging him to “put Conor to sleep” and others challenging the YouTuber to face McGregor in the cage. Meanwhile, Paul publicly challenged McGregor after his fight with Tyson, suggesting an MMA fight without weight restrictions.

He mocked X: “Dear Conor, I know you told my team you would fight me at 170 pounds. This will never happen. But let’s do it in MMA. No weight category. Just like it used to be done. T.”

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